India – Location
1. Learning Objectives
After reading these notes, you will be able to:
2. Introduction
3. India Standard Time (IST) & Longitudinal Extent
- Standard Meridian of India: 82°30′ E — passes through Mirzapur (UP). Selected because countries choose standard meridians in multiples of 7°30′.
- IST is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT/UTC).
- The sun rises in the northeastern states about 2 hours earlier than in Jaisalmer, but watches everywhere show the same time because of IST.
- Some countries have more than one standard meridian due to their vast east-to-west extent. Example: USA has 7 time zones.
1 Nautical mile = about 1.8 km (1.852 km)
India’s territorial limit → 12 nautical miles ≈ 21.9 km from coast
4. Size
- India’s total area = 3.28 million sq. km
- This accounts for 2.4% of the world’s total land surface area.
- India is the 7th largest country in the world by area.
- Countries larger than India: Russia, Canada, USA, China, Brazil, Australia.
• Lofty mountains in the north (Himalayas)
• Large rivers — Ganga, Brahmaputra, Mahanadi, Krishna, Godavari, Kaveri
• Green forested hills in northeast and south India
• Vast sandy desert — Marusthali (Thar Desert) in the west
🏔️ The Indian Subcontinent
- India forms a great geographic entity known as the Indian Subcontinent.
- Countries included in the Indian Subcontinent: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh.
- The subcontinent is bounded by:
→ North: Himalayas
→ North-West: Hindukush and Sulaiman ranges
→ North-East: Purvachal hills
→ South: Large expanse of the Indian Ocean - The Himalayas acted as a formidable physical barrier in the past. They could only be crossed through a few mountain passes.
These passes allowed limited movement across the Himalayas and shaped India’s history.
🌊 India’s Coastline
- The Peninsular part of India extends into the Indian Ocean.
- Coastline of the mainland: 6,100 km
- Total coastline (mainland + island groups): 7,517 km
- Island groups: Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Bay of Bengal) and Lakshadweep (Arabian Sea).
Tropical south
Temperate north
Mountains, plains,
deserts, coasts
Many soil types
Varied natural cover
6,100 km mainland
7,517 km total
Varied mineral,
forest, water resources
3.28 million sq. km
2.4% world land
5. India and its Neighbours
🌍 Land Neighbours of India
🇵🇰 Pakistan
Shares boundary on the north-west. Separated by the Radcliffe Line (1947).
🇨🇳 China (Tibet)
Shares boundary on the north and north-east. Longest border with India.
🇳🇵 Nepal
Shares boundary on the north. Landlocked country.
🇧🇹 Bhutan
Shares boundary on the north-east. Landlocked country.
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
Shares boundary on the east. Surrounded by India on three sides.
🇲🇲 Myanmar
Shares boundary on the east. Connected through Purvachal hills.
🌊 Sea / Island Neighbours of India
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
Island country in the Indian Ocean. Separated from India by Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait.
🇲🇻 Maldives
Island country in the Indian Ocean, to the south-west of India.
Strait: A narrow passage of water connecting two larger water bodies. Ex: Palk Strait (between India and Sri Lanka).
Summary — Quick Revision
India’s mainland extends from Kashmir (north) to Kanniyakumari (south) and Arunachal Pradesh (east) to Gujarat (west).
Latitudinal extent: 8°4’N – 37°6’N. Longitudinal extent: 68°7’E – 97°25’E. Both are roughly 30 degrees.
N–S distance = 3,214 km; E–W distance = 2,933 km. N–S is more because longitudes converge towards poles.
Standard meridian = 82°30′ E. IST is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of GMT. 30° longitude = ~2 hours time difference across India.
India’s area = 3.28 million sq. km = 2.4% of world’s land. It is the 7th largest country in the world.
Indian Subcontinent includes: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh. Bounded by Himalayas, Hindukush, Purvachal hills, and Indian Ocean.
Mainland coastline = 6,100 km. Total coastline (with islands) = 7,517 km. Islands: Andaman & Nicobar (Bay of Bengal), Lakshadweep (Arabian Sea).
India has 6 land neighbours: Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar. And 2 sea neighbours: Sri Lanka and Maldives.
Sri Lanka is separated from India by Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait. Gulf = sea enclosed by land; Strait = narrow water passage.
India’s maritime location gives it access to sea routes. Southern part = Tropical; Northern part = Sub-tropical / warm temperate zone.
Important Terms to Remember
- Latitude: Angular distance of a place north or south of the equator, measured in degrees.
- Longitude: Angular distance of a place east or west of the Prime Meridian (0°), measured in degrees.
- Standard Meridian: A specific longitude selected as the reference for calculating a country’s standard time. India’s = 82°30′ E.
- Indian Standard Time (IST): The uniform time used across India. It is 5 hours 30 min ahead of GMT.
- Nautical Mile: Unit of distance used at sea. 1 nautical mile ≈ 1.8 km (1.852 km).
- Statute Mile: Unit of distance used on land. 1 statute mile ≈ 1.6 km (1.584 km).
- Territorial Waters: The sea area up to 12 nautical miles from a country’s coast over which it has full sovereignty.
- Indian Subcontinent: The large geographic unit of South Asia that includes India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh — separated from the rest of Asia by the Himalayas.
- Marusthali: The Thar Desert — vast sandy expanse in western Rajasthan.
- Purvachal Hills: The hills along India’s north-eastern border (Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram) that separate India from Myanmar.
- Gulf: A large part of an ocean or sea partially enclosed by land on three sides. Example: Gulf of Mannar.
- Strait: A narrow passage of water connecting two larger water bodies. Example: Palk Strait (between India and Sri Lanka).
- Maritime Location: A location near or bordering the sea, giving access to sea routes. India’s peninsular shape gives it an important maritime location.